New Facility Helping Former Foster Children Transition Into Adulthood

A common area in the 412 Youth Zone, a drop-in service for former foster children and homeless youth that opened in January.

Credit Noah Brode / 90.5 WESA

A new daytime haven for homeless youth and former child welfare recipients in Allegheny County is experiencing its first successes.

Since its soft opening on Jan. 26, the 412 Youth Zone has seen about 400 young people ages 16 to 24 come through its doors in the Wood Street Commons building downtown.

Staff members said a core group of about 10 to 15 young people come in to the center every day it’s open.

Once inside, they can take part in free services provided by the center and its 30 partner organizations – or just hang out.

“One of the important aspects of the Youth Zone is this opportunity to have a place where you belong, a place where you can come and you’re welcome, where you can just sit down and study. You can take a break and watch TV. It isn’t all about services,” said John Lydon, CEO of Auberle, the McKeesport nonprofit organization that runs the Youth Zone.

The Allegheny County Department of Human Services helps fund the center.

Lydon said the total target population of about 1,500 former foster children comes from communities across the county, both urban and suburban. He estimated about 200 of that population are homeless.

In addition to providing a sanctuary for children and young adults aging out of the county’s foster care system, the Youth Zone puts on a wide variety of programs meant to help those youths succeed as adults.

“There might be a class going on, on handling credit, or getting your own checking account,” Lydon said. “There may be a program on how to dress for an interview or for a job position. There might be opportunities where people may be doing testing for job aptitude. They might be coming in for medical services.”

One of the partners, Duquesne University’s law school, has students help young people at the 412 Youth Zone with common legal issues like landlord-tenant disputes.

“People occasionally take advantage of our youth and feel, ‘Well, you’re not going to be able to sue me, so I’m going to take advantage of your situation,’” said Lydon. “A number of issues of discrimination happen to our youth. They get involved in contract issues, issues with credit card companies.”

Lydon said one of the youths has found a job after taking part in some of the center’s free programs.

The 412 Youth Zone will hold its official dedication on Wednesday, March 16.

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With recent changes to the foster care system both nationally and locally, noticeable trends have developed, including a decrease in the amount of children in need of foster care and a new process for placement. Katie Stoehr, senior child welfare administrator for the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, visited Essential Pittsburgh to talk about the trends and the experience of fostering children.

Homeless teenagers and young adults in Pittsburgh will soon have a drop-in center that will address a wide array of their needs.

The center will be called “412 Youth Zone” and will be targeted at youths between 16 and 24 years old, who are aging out of the foster care system. It will be located downtown in the Wood Street Commons building.

Local family agency Auberle will run the center and partner with other local agencies. They expect to serve about 1,500 young adults a year – that’s how many age out of the system.

Jon Potter, the owner of what's said to be Pittsburgh's only hostel, is trying to fund his next big project. A co-operatively owned house called the Pittsburgh Home, it would offer a safe and free place for Pittsburghers in need of shelter. He explains where things stand with the project's development and how a co-operative shelter would work.

With regard to his plans for the Pittsburgh Home, Potter explains:

“The shelters are great, but there’s a dignity in having your own home, and that’s what we want to provide. It’s not only dignity, but it’s having an address that you can use to apply for jobs and get a bank account and get a driver’s license. Because actually having a home, I think, is what people need.”